Suspected cow smuggler killed in shoot-out

A suspected cow smuggler was killed in a shoot-out early morning on Thursday in Rajasthan's Alwar district, while other five of his accomplices are on the run.

The incident comes a month after "anti-social elements" murdered a man suspecting him to be a cattle thief.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Prakash said, "A group of five to seven smugglers were seen transporting cows in a small truck. But the smugglers broke the barriers placed by police and opened fired on the officers. One of the smugglers was shot at in the retaliatory fire and later succumbed to his injuries".

"The smugglers broke barriers placed by police and opened fired on the officers in the outskirts of Alwar city at around 2.30 am. In the retaliatory fire one man succumbed to his injuries, while five of his accomplices managed to flee," the SP added.

A countrymade gun and cartridges were seized from the truck. "At least, five cows were rescued from the possession of the smugglers," Prakash said.

Alwar has been in news for attack by cow vigilantes. On November 10, the body of a 35-year-old man was found on the railway tracks in the disrtict's Ramgarh area.

The police said Umar Mohammed, a resident of Ghatmika village Bharatpur, was killed by "anti-social elements" trying to stop cow smuggling. His body was found near the railway tracks.

Earlier this year, cattle trader Pehlu Khan was lynched to death by suspected cow vigilantes while he was transporting cattle near Alwar.